The aegis & intelligencer. [volume] (Bel Air, Md.) 1864-1923, 1887-09-23
For County Surveyor.
THOMAS E. CATHCART.
Stand by Your Principles.

While this may be termed an "off year" in
national politics, there being neither Presi-
dent nor members of Congress 10 be elected,
it is, in our State politics, year of more
than usual Importance. The position of
Maryland with reference to the Presidential
election to be held next year may be largely
determined by the result this year, and if the
Republicans obtain control of the State
Maryland will, in all probability, be added to
the Republican column at the next Presiden-
tial election. This alone is prize which the
Republicans think well worth contending for.
Besides, In accordance with our State Con-
stitutlon, the next Legislature will be re-
quired to provide for taking the sense of the
people upon the question of a new Constitu-
ton. 1t is true that the Republicans in their
platform oppose the calling of a Consttu-
tional Convention, but it being almost GER
tainty that convention will be assembled, if
the Republicans have control of the State
they will be enabled to largely influence the
instrument. With the bitter experience of
past years we believe the welfare of the State
and the rights and liberties of all our citizens
would be better preserved if the framing of
the new Constitution were left to Democratic
hands and its provisions based upon sound
Democratic principles. The odious Repub.
llcan Constitution of 1864, under which
Democrats were DISTINGUISHED and driven from
the polls with bayonets, at the command of
Republican election officers, is still fresh in
the memory OF those who were thus wrong
ed by it.
The real purposes of the Republican leaders
are masked under a pretended desire for
reform" which is the usual cry of the outs
who have failed to get the offices. The charges
of fraud and misgovernment are heard in
every campaign from Republican orators and
newspapers, and this campaign is no excep-
tion to others. Disappointed, halfhearted
Democrats, whose imaginary claims for office
have been overlooked by the party, have also
Joined In the cry with so much persistence
that many Democrats, without taking the
trouble to investigate the charges, have con-
cluded that public affairs in Maryland are in
a deplorablc condition. On the contary, our
good old State has never been in better f.
nancial condition and the outcries of Mr..
Cowen, the Baltimore and Ohio Railroad
lawyer, and bis Republican coadjutors, are for
selfish purposes alone.
The credit of the State stands as high as
that of any in the Union; no defaulters have
disgraced her fame or robbed her treasury,
and no intelligent man can trulhfully say
that the Democratic administration in Mary
land has failed in its dnty TO the people.
There is no valid reason why any Demo-
crat who is one from principle and not from
expediency, should desert his party this fall
and cast in his lot with the party which is
the recognized champion and upholder of
corporate monopolies, whose chief spokes-
man is a renegade Democrat, the paid coun-
sci of railroad company which seeks to
evade its just share of the burden of taxation,
while enjoy ing the protection of its vast
property by the State. We are willing to
concede that there are honest Republican
voters who are as DESTROYS as honest Demo-
Gratis for pure and economical admins
tration of our State and county governments;
but experience has shown that the rights and
liberties ofthe people are safer in Democratic
hands than in the control of men who justify
and exult In the base conspiracy of the Elec.
toral Commission of 1876, by which the
usnrper Hayes was seated in an office to
which he was not elected. We repeat, we
can see no reason why any Democrat, at this
time, should desert his party and his princi-
n1aa